Apparatus for separating liquids and solids.



J. J. BERRIGAN. APPARATUS FOR. SEPARATING LIQUIDS AND SGLIDS.

APPLICATION TILED P111117, 190B. Lgo5 ggg magma 0@1:.17,1911.

Inventor: 2W

J, LBERREGAE. APFARATUS FOR SEPARAWNG LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS.

APPLIGATION TILED F3117, 19081 l;@@5,@@@, Patentefi Q0? 17, 1911.

3 8HEETS-SHEET 2.

= Inventor: G

I BEBRIGAH. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS. APPLIGATIOH FILED 113.11, 1908 G SHEHTH-BHEBT 3.

fgrsta v Inveflm ,3 f by fie gtate oiutw Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Separating Liquids andSolids; and I do hereby declare the following 'tobe a full, clear, and exact ,description'of the same, such as will enable others skilled in 'the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.-

i A My invention relates to apparatus for separating liquids and solids through the agency of centrifugal force and comprises means. for'converting a body of mixed solid and liquid materials into an annulus, and for movingithe solid material progressively toward a discharge opening at one end of the annulus andthe liquid toward a discharge opening at the other end of the annulus, together with means for continuously supplying the m'ixture of solid and liquid materials to said annulus; and comprises also other features hereinafter described and i more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, The objects'of my invention are to separate liquids, and solids efficiently, particularly those mixtures of liquids and solids which, because of the fine subdivision of the solid material, its slimy or slippery nature,

its close approximation in specific gravity to that of the liquid, or other reason, are very difficult to separate, or even practically impossible to separate efficiently by means such as ordinarily used heretofore; to improve and simplify separating apparatus adapted for such materials, and render the same of large-capacitywithin relatively small dimensions and with moderate speeds of rotation, to dry the solid material until only a i very small per cent. of liquid, if any, remains therein, to avoid unnecessary agitation of the mixture during the separation, to provide ample space, within relatively small dimensions, for the separation tooccur, and generally to make the apparatus highly efficient for the purpose and capable of continuous operation. I

The accompanylng drawmgs illustrate apparat us constructed in accordance with my invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 shows aver-'- tical axial section of one form of centrifugal separator embodying my invention; F gs. 2'-

= Be it know'n tliat I, JOHN 'JosEPH BERRL v can, acitizen of the United States, residing at, East Or ange,"m the county of Essex and 'nnnn'renm or EASTORANGE, NEW nasnnnss CKI-IOLM,"YSWEDE1ST-,: Ann-runners SJ amateurs ia jagsasasanae 'triinivs Ann some na a -sat I Application filed February 17,-: 1903, Serial No. 416298.

relvon TO JOHN nERNsr ioi/r,

WLYQ K-N BEN and 3 show, transverse vertical sectuins of said apparatus on the lines XX and T Y respectively; Figs; 4 and 5 are diagram atic --views showing the apparatus. as it s-might be if developed, Fig. 4 showinga plan view and partial section, and Fig. 5. a longitudinalvertical section. Fig. 6shows alon- I git-udinal section of a separator comp'rising alternative means for adjusting the point of delivery of the material acted (my Fig. 7 shows a vertical section of a vertical type of machine operating on the same principle as the horizontal machines of Figs. 1 and 6.

In the drawings, 1 designates as'eparating cylinder or drum having heads 2 and 3 and journals 4 and 5 mounted in hearings in standards 6 and 7 whereby the drum is mounted for rotation. Both of journals 4 and 5 are hollow, journal 4 having within it a supply-passage leading from a hopper S to a head 9 having a discharge opening 10' there being, insuch supply passage, 11, and in the corresponding portion of the feedhopper, 8, suitable conveying means, such as the screw conveyer 12, whereby material may be fed positively from said hopper to passage 11 and thence delivered through disshaft 13 is a belt-wheel l ll'rconstituting means for rotating said shaft. Themlrum l and shaft 13will normally rotate at different speeds; but, preferably, in thesame direction. Near one endof drum 1 there is an annular rib or bridge, 15, constituting means for fixing an approximate normal thickness of the liquid-layer in the machine fan'd beyond this bridge there is a discharge outlet or outlets for the liquid. Such liquid dis charge outlets may be in either the periphery or the head of the drum, and in the draw- 'ings I have shown two such openings, 16 and 17, one in the head 2 of the drum and. the other in its periphery, either oneQojf which may be used as p1 eferred or as'the quality of the material treated may makeadvisable;

=th-e opening not to be used beingfclosed by suitable means, as for example the screwplug 18. Near the other head of the maliquid-layer in the drum as 1906,.I have shown having even the conical ring solids, and between this openmg and the main portion of the interior of drum 1 there is an annular rib or bridge 20 having a than the normal'height of the fixed by bridge 15 or discharge-opening 16. Bridge 20 will cause a conical ring 21 of the solid material being separated to form adjacent to it, and up this conical ring, and so above the level of the liquid, the solid material will be forced by the conveyer blades 22 and 221 on shaft 13 above mentioned.

In lily- Patent No. 834,043, dated Oct. 23, a centrifugal separator comprising a conical drum, in the larger end of which the liquid accumulates and overflows through a discharge opening, while the solid material is fed along the inclined periphery of the drum toward a ischarge opening at its smaller end. In many mixtures of liquid and solid materials, for example, in mixtures containing finely divided precipitates or containing liquids of strong emulsifying power from which solids are not readily-separated, as, for instance, caustic soda solution, the solid material is so finely divided, or slimy, that it is diflicult or impracticable to force it away from the liquid and up along the surface of a drum very slight taper, until the liquid has-been so far removed fromit that it ,is dry, oi nearly so. For this reason the drum of the machine of the present case is substantially cylindrical; i. 0., has practically no taper whatever; and it is not until thelsolid material has been freed from the greater part of its liquid that it encounters 21 and is forced up thereby toward the: axis of the drum and so toward the. discharge outlet 19. 4

At the liquid end of the machine there is an annular hood 23 to receive the discharged liquid; said hood having an outlet 24:. At the solid end of the machine there is another annular hood, 25, to receive the discharged solid; said hood having an outheight greater let 26.

arms 27 carrying .inaterial and so For feeding the solid material along the periphery of the drum, as the latter rotates, the helical conveyer blades 22 and 221 on shaft 13 are provided. For carrying these blades, said shaft is provided with radial angle-iron strips 28, -on

which are mounted, (and secured by adjusting-nuts 29,) the screws 30 carrying the said blades 22 and 221. Since the strips project past the discharge head 9, these ends of the strips 28 may be spider 31 rotatively mounted on journal 4.

The conveyer blades 22 sweep as close to the periphery of the drum as terial is somewhat heavier than the liquid forms the outer layer of supported "by a' practicable the case,'the solid ma-' the annulus, of material treated, against the sides of the drurii;.but blades 221 (which are the blades rotating within the region of the cone 21 to befor ned and maintained) are inclined inward progressively, so forming a screw conveyer of gradually decreasing diameter corresponding to the intended slope of cone 21. It is obvious that by adjusting the angle of incline of blades 221 and the point at which said blades begin to incline inward, the length and pitch of the inwardly-inclined surface of cone 21 may be varied as described.v Blades 32 upon the angle irons 28 serve to sweep the solid material around the drum into the discharge opening 19, andv so prevent accumulation of the solid material at this end.

- The conveyer blades 22 and 221 are not each complete spirals or helices, but each comprises a portion 0 between 200 and 300 degrees, the ends of adjacent blades overlapping, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The result of this is thatythe blades form, with the sides of the drum. 1, a zigzag passage for the flow of the liquid, whereby the liquid in passing from, say, the cone 21, to the liquid discharge opening, follows a coursethe length of which is many times that of the distance, in a direct line, from cone 21 to said discharge opening; and the length of this zigzag may be increased or decreased as desired by increasing or decreasing the number of conveyer blades 22 and their pitch and by increasing or decreasing the extent of lapping of adjacent blades. That such zig-zag passage is formed will be seen by reference to the diagrammatic views, Figs. 1 and5, which may be considered to be views of the machine of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, developed. The drum 1 then becomes a trough 111, and the conveyer blades 22 become blades 222 movable length wise of this trough by means of sprocket chains 223,

and overlapping respectively as do blades 22, so sage. pipe 91 arranged to discharge into the trough. It will be obvious that in such an apparatus, which is in effect a settling apparatus, the length of the zigzag passage is determined by the number of the blades 222 and'theextent of overlap of the blades. Centrifugal separating apparatus such as shown in Figs.

dividing the trough into a zigzag pas 1, 2 and 3, is in principle the same as the trough apparatus shown in The supply head 9 becomes a supply Figs. 4 and 5, except that for gravity, the

only force tending to produce separation of solids and liquids in such is substituted the vastly more powerfu trough apparatus, 1 12 centrifugal forcethe power of which is determined by the speed at which the drum is rotated, i. c., the peripherals'peed of the drum. en the drum is rotating, the

material acted on is held out against its oosen-o I 1 depth of the annulus of the iiq'uid 7 16 or 17, only by flowing backward, zig= can reach the discharge opening,

fashion, betweenthe blades. This is .im-

portant, for it'provides, within a drum of "convenient length and "weight, a settling "passage of any length desired, so affording ample opportunity or time for the separation of the liquid from the solidmatter: the solid matter being forced onward steadily toward the end having the discharge outlet 19, the liquid being displaced by the continually advancing layer of solid material and caused to flow back toward the liquid discharge outlet, 16 or17. The action which takes place is, in principle, a settling action; but owing to the magnification, under the influence of centrifugal force, of the effect of the difference of specific gravity between the liquid and the solid material, the separation takes place relativelyrapidly and perfectly, whereas in a trough apparatus such as shownin Figs. f and 5 it might take place very slowly if at all. In any settling operation, the amount of settling which takes place is proportional to the time afforded. It is a compound function of the force causing the settling (whether that force be gravitation or whether it be centrifugal force and of the time during which any particular portion of the material acted upon is subjected to the action of that force.

I One i portant feature of the present invention s that by means of it any desired length of time may be a forded for the settling, the liquid, in flowing through the circuitous pathway formed by the blades 22,

being given ample time for the deposition of. solids.

' It is clear that, (omitting for the'present consideration 0f-the effect of constant supply of the mixture to-be treated), at one end ofthe machine there will be dry or nearly "dry solid material, and at the other end of the machine there will be liquid containing no, or very little, solid material; and that between these two extremes there will be,

' progressively, all intermediate ratios of mixture of the liquid and the solid material.

' It isi'clearly disadvantageous to deliver the mixture of liquid and solid material into twill, otherwise, be y v on the drum 1 at a point where the solid material ther hand, to deliver the mixture at a point vhere the liquid will, otherwise, be free,

i'or nearly free, from solid material. Therefore,according to my invention, I endeavor to deliver the mlxture to be treated at the 7 point, in the drum, where'the composition of the annulus is, normally, the same as that of the mixture supplied. The material, if

I "disturb the-operation of separation, mate-r1 at so formed,

supplied at such point, does not in any way the resulting liquid being as free from solid matter as if there had been no addition of solid matter, and the resultingdry solid matter being as dry as if therehad been no addition of liquid, during the brief interval that it takes any particular particle of liquid or solid to travel from the neutral point (where the mixture is delivered as described) to its respective outlet. I believe it-to be desirable to deliver the mixture at this neutral point in all cases where the mixture to be treated is one the constituents of which separate with diliiculty, if at all, under ordinary conditions, and where the specific gravities of the materials are nearly the same. The point at which the mixture is delivered may be varied as desired," in various ways; for instance, by changing the length of that 4 which projects into the drulnl. ()r, as shown in Fig. l, the discharge orifice 10 may be in the side of a cap 3% mounted on head portion of the hollow journal- 9 and arranged to be rotated to vary the posit-ion, lengthwise of the drum, of said discharge orifice. Or, the head may be caused to slide back and forth on the journal 4, as shown in Fig. 6, where said head, here numbered 91, is adjustable lengthwise over journal l.

In some cases, the point of delivery of the mixture will be quite near the' solid end of the machine, and in others it will be quite near the liquid end of the machine. This will depend upon the particular characteristics of the mixture, such as the relative proportions of solids and liquids present, the relative ease with which the separation is effected, etc. But when the ingredients of the mixture treated differ considerably in specific gravity, and separate readily by settling except for the, pro portion of liquid normally held by capillarity, adhesion, or like phenomenon, it is not so important, and may not be desirable, to supply the mixture at the neutral point. In general, the qualities ofeach particular mixture .to be handled need to be considered to determine the best point at which to discharge the mixture into the annulus.

It is desirable, in most cases, to avoid disturbance of the annulus of solid material by the impingement against it of the mixture discharged from head 9. To this end it is desirable to check the radial flow near the side of the drum. Providing the head 9 with a closed end and lateral discharge opening 10, as in Fig. 1, substantially accomplishes this, the radial flow of the mix ture being checked as said material impinges against the cap 34. 7 The material issuing from opening 10 strikes against the In somecases it has Y a vertical machine,

the annulus formed that of the mixture supplied. The mate rial so introduced is put annulus with far less violence than if the material passed direct from the supply passage, as in Fig. 6. I

It will be noted that the conveyerblades 22 and 221 operate with practically no stirring and agitation of the material" treated. been found that, unless special care be taken to avoid agitation of the mixture by the conveying device used, this agitation neutralizes to a great extent the separating influence of centrifugal force.

In some cases, the mixture may be fed into the machine without use of a feed conveyer 12. In such case, the supply pipe may be led through the hollow journal to near the head 9, as indicated in Fig. 6, in which 35 designates such supply pipe.

In principle, it is substantially immaterial whether my machine be set horizontally, or vertically, or in any other position; gravity having, as compared with centrifugal force, very little effect on the annulus of material acted on. Mechanical considerations, however, usually limit the desirable or permis= sible height of a vertical machine, so that for large machines the horizontal arrangement is in general preferable. Fig. 7 shows comprising a bowl or drum, 36, arranged to be rotated by a hollow shaft 37 Inside this shaftis another, 38, provided with a hollow upper portion 381 adapted to" form a supply passage, and having adischarge port 382. are mounted the arms carrying the screw conveyer blades, 22 and 221. The drum is providedwith shoulders 15 and 20 adapted: to cause formation of cones 33 and 21, as -in the horizontal machine.

In the upper head, 383, of the drum there are discharge openings 384, and blades 385. carried by the conveyer sweep the solid material passing over cone 21 into these openings, from which the material is projected by centrifugal force. Liquid escapes from the lower end of the drum, through a short pipe 386 into 'a pan 387; said pa'n being located in a cup 388 by which any splashed liquid or other material not otherwise caught 15 received. The operation of this vertical machineis obviously much the same as that of the horizontal machine shown in Fig. 1, and therefore eration of the horizontal machine, which is as follows: The drum 1 being in rotation, the mixture to be separated is fed from the hopper 8 by the conveyer 12 and delivered through opening 10 into the interior of the drum, preferably, according to my invention and process, at or near the point where the composition of the material of is about the same as in rotation as it strlkes .the side of the drum, of material against such side),

the liquid On-thisshaft tially cylindrical rotating drum a 1 will describe only the op-.

the solids through said (or the annulus and the ward the right-hand end of the machine- Then the cone 21 is reached, the solid material is forced up this cone, above the level of the liquid, anyconsiderab e proportion of liquid remaining in it draining ofi immediately and almost entirely, under the influence of centrifugal force, so that the solid material passes over bridge 20 practically or entirely dry. The liquid, on the other hand, flowing back as it does through the zig-zag passage formed by the segmental overlapping blades, has ample opportunity for depositing any considerable traces ofthe solid material carried by it, and therefore leaves outlet practically free from solid material. The cone 33 of solid; material which may form adjacent the bridge or rib 15 is kept from growing beyond a definite thickness by the conveyer blades 22, which scrape off any excess and feed it toward the solid end of the machine. 1

The process carried out as above described by the apparatus herein described, claimed hlay 11, 1908, Sr. No. 432,223.

That I claim is I 1. In a centrifugal separator, a substantially cylindrical rotating drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid therein while discharging liquid from the surface of said an nular layer at one end of said drum, means for causing the settled solids to travel to the other end of said drum and to discharge there at a point nearer than the surface of said liquid, and means for introducing wet material at a mid portion of said annular layer.

2. In a centrifugal separator, a substandapted to form and maintain an annular layer of setthe axis of rotation iii tled solids and liquid therein along ,substanstially the entire effective separating portion of its length while discharging liquid from the surface of said annular layer at one end of said drum, means for creating a tortuous-passage for the movement of the settled solids in said annulus and for moving tortuous passage to the other end of said drum and to discharge there at a point nearer the axis of rotation thanthe surface of said liquid, and means for supplying wet material to be separated at a mid portion of such annular layer.

In a centrifugal separator, a rotating blades and means for causing them nocaeoo drum adapted to form and maintain an an ,nular layer of settled solids and liquid therein,and means for moving solid material n said annulus toward one end thereof and for causing liquid in said annulus to more in a tortuouspath toward the other end thereof,

"comprising segmental lapping conveyer "drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid therein, and having separate outlets for solids and for liquid relatively distant from each other, and a conveyer comprising segmental lapping conveyer blades, intermediate said outlets at a mid portion of such annular layer.

5. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid therein, and having separate outlets for solids and liquid relatively distant from each other, means for delivering wet material into said annular layer, and a con'veyer comprising segmental lapping conveyer blades, intermediate said outlets.

6. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum adapted to form and maintain, an annular layer of settled solids and liquid there in, and having separate outlets for solids and liquid and, in front of the outlet for solids, a bridge higher than the normal depth of said annular layer, and a conveyer comprising segmental lapping conveyer blades, intermediate said outlets.

7. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid there in, and having separate outlets for solids and liquid and, in front of the outlet for solids, a bridge higher than the normal depth of said annular layer, and a conveyer comprising segmental lapping conveyer blades. intermediate said outlets, the blades near the solid outlet having a taper corresponding to the slope of a conical annulus of solid material to be created and main tained next said bridge.

8. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum adapted to formand maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid there in, and having separate outlets for solids and liquid and, in front of the outlet for solids, means forforming a conical annulus of material treatedthe height of such annulus being greater than the normal thickness of the annular layer of material treated, and means for moving solid material up said conical annulus toward the coresponding outlet.

9. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating cylindrical drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid therein, and means for moving solid to move material insaid-annulus toward one end thereof and for causing liquid in said annulus to move in a tortuous path toward the other endthereot, comprising segmental lapping cenveyer blades and means for causing them to more relatively to the revolving drum.

10. Ina centrifugal separator, a rotating cylindrical druni adapted to formand maintain an annular ayer of settled solids and liquid therein, and having separate outlets for solids and for liquid relatively distant from each other, and a conveyor comprising segmental lapping conveyer blades, intermediate saidoutlets. p

11. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating cylindrical drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid. therein, and having separate outlets for solids and for liquid relatively distant from each other, a bridge in front of the liquid outlet whereby the normal level of liquid is fixed, means for moving solids toward the outlet for solids and for causing liquid to move in a circuitous course toward the liquid outlet, and means for delivering wet material at a mid point of said annular' layer.

12. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and liquid therein, and having separate outlets for solids and for liquid, and a conveyer within said drum comprising a rotating shafthaving arms proiecting therefrom, longitudinal strips secured to said arms and spaced lapping helical blades secured. to, said strips.

13. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum adapted to form and maintain an annular layer of settled solids and-liquid.therein, and having separate outlets for solids and for liquid, and a conveyer within said drum COl'l'lDI'lSlng a rotating shaft having arms projecting therefrom, longitudinal strips secured to said arms and lapping helical blades secured to said strips and adjustable toward and from the axis of rotation.

14. Ina centrifugal separator, a rotating drum having an annular bridge at either end, one of said bridges being higherthan the other, and having a liquid discharge orifice receiving liquid frombeyond the lower bridge, means for causing separated solids to travel toward and over the higher bridge and means for feeding wet material to be separated to a mid-portion of the drum.

15. In a centrifugal separator, a rotating drum having an annular bridge at either end, one of said bridges l'ieing higher than the other, and having a liquid discharge ori-, fice receiving liquid from beyond the lowei bridge. means for causing separated solids to travel toward and over the higher bridge and for ca .sing separated liquid to travel in a circi sus path toward andover the for feeding solid material along the side of lower bridge and means for feeding wet material to be separated to the drum.

. 16. In drum having an such drum.

17. In a; centrifugal separator, tially cylindrical rotating drum a substanadapted to form and maintain concentric annular layers of solids and.liquids extending over substantially the entire effective separating portion of its length a mid-portion of and having an axial. supprovided with means for regu lating. longitudinally the point of delivery of the material. I y

18. In a centritugal'separator, a rotating drumhavingan axial supply passage provided with a right-angled termination, said termination provided with means preventing the direct radial escape of the material, and having a lateral escape opening. 25

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. BERRIGAN.

ply passage "Witnesses H. M. MARBLE, FRANK E. RAFFMAN. 

